Democratic party-switchers give GOP a House supermajority

By Peggy Fikacpfikac@express-news.net :
December 15, 2010

State Rep. Aaron Pena of Edinburgh (at lectern) announces his switch from the Democratic Party to the GOP during a news conference at the Republican Party of Texas headquarters in Austin. He was joined in moving to the Republican column by state Rep. Allan Ritter of Nederland (in background, to the right of Gov. Rick Perry).

More Information

Crossover

Two state representatives left the Democratic Party and joined the Republicans.

AUSTIN — Because two Democrats on Tuesday switched parties, giving the GOP a supermajority in the Texas House, Republicans soon will be able to pass anything they'd like — as long as they stick together.

The move by Reps. Aaron Peña of Edinburg and Allan Ritter of Nederland boosted the fortunes of a party that reaped big House gains last month, granting the GOP sway as lawmakers prepare to deal with everything from a massive budget shortfall to redistricting to immigration.

“Somebody once told me that if you don't have a seat at the table, you may be on the menu,” Peña said at state GOP headquarters with Ritter, House Speaker Joe Straus and other statewide GOP officials, including Gov. Rick Perry.

“We have many challenges,” he continued, “but if I'm not in the room and if other people like me are not in the room, how do we ... come to an understanding?”

The lawmakers' about-faces — and the victory of John Kuempel in a special election Tuesday to fill the vacancy left by the death of his father, Rep. Edmund Kuempel, R-Seguin — bring the Republican tally to 101 seats in the 150-member House.

That gives the party one more vote than the two-thirds margin needed to pass a proposed constitutional amendment without Democrats — or to spend money from the rainy-day fund to help balance the budget.

But, he added, there are other key advantages to the comfortable margin. Because a House quorum to conduct business is 100 members, Democrats in 2003 were able to stall GOP-led congressional redistricting by fleeing to Ardmore, Okla.

“We don't need them for a quorum,” Taylor said.

In addition, on legislation that requires only a majority vote, Taylor said, “We can lose 25 (Republican) votes ... and still win.”

The margin also allows generally for suspension of House rules. At the end of the 2009 legislative session, for example, Democrats used procedural tactics to stall legislation in the House that prevented consideration of a Voter ID bill.

If such a maneuver were tried in the upcoming session, “You can shut it down with this” two-thirds majority, said Terry Keel, a former lawmaker and former House parliamentarian.

Perry, who served as a Democrat in the House before switching parties, said such a switch is an expression of a lawmaker's values. He said Peña's and Ritter's decisions showed the GOP's commitment to reach out to all Texans.

“They've always stood out as remarkably conservative compared to the other members of their former party,” Perry said. “It becomes clear when you are no longer welcome and that any change in that political party is highly unlikely.”

Ritter said he made the move after watching his district become heavily Republican. Peña, meanwhile, said conservative values “ring true in most every Hispanic household that I know.”

But Peña acknowledged the switch would make his re-election bid tough. Asked about the GOP platform — which includes opposition to bilingual education and rejects any form of amnesty, leaving deportation of people who aren't here legally as the only option — he said he doesn't agree with every part of either the Democratic or GOP platform.

As news of the move spread, disappointed Democrats jabbed at that and at the GOP.

“One only needs to read a few paragraphs of the state Republican Party platform and realize that Hispanics have very little acceptance in the Republican Party,” said Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer, D-San Antonio, chairman of the Mexican American Legislative Caucus. He said Peña has advocated for issues including bilingual education, prekindergarten programs and citizenship opportunities for immigrants that “are rejected by the Republican Party even though they are the values of Rep. Peña's district.”

Rep. Jessica Farrar of Houston, House Democrat Caucus chair, said she respects Peña's and Ritter's decisions, but added: “I do not see how siding with the party that cuts public education funding, puts college beyond the reach of many, and increases taxes at the local level is best for their districts.”

Because Peña and Ritter were just elected last month as Democrats, the state's Democratic Party Chairman Boyd Richie said both should resign and seek election as Republicans. But the men said they wouldn't do that.

Asked if they would return donations, both indicated they'd do so if donors asked.